After Escaping Marriage - Extra 5
Chapter 148: Extra 3 - Parallel World
“Goodbye, big sister.” At the kindergarten gate after school, little Cheng Zhanxi waved vigorously at little Yu Qingtang. Her high-pitched, childish voice drew the attention of the other parents picking up their children, who then broke into amused smiles.
“Goodbye.” Little Yu Qingtang nodded at her, her attitude overly calm compared to the other’s enthusiasm.
The parents from both sides each led their own little one toward the luxury cars parked by the road. Little Cheng Zhanxi was held between her mom and dad, bouncing and skipping, her little head bobbing from side to side as she seemed to be telling Cheng Yi and Song Qingrou something.
Yu Ci looked down at her own quiet daughter and tickled her soft palm with a fingertip.
Little Yu Qingtang turned to look at her. “?”
Yu Ci’s lips curved into a faint smile. “It’s nothing. Mommy just hasn’t seen her baby all day and missed her.”
So calm and composed at such a young age. It seemed she really took after her father.
Little Yu Qingtang didn’t react much to her mother’s heartfelt declaration. Once in the car, she suddenly climbed onto Yu Ci’s lap, hugged her neck, and whispered softly in her ear, “Tangtang missed Mom, too.”
Afterward, as if nothing had happened, she tried to climb down from Yu Ci’s lap.
Yu Ci’s heart melted. How could she bear to let the little person in her arms go? She hugged little Yu Qingtang tightly and planted several kisses on her face, smearing lipstick all over it as she exclaimed excitedly, “Mommy could just die from loving you so much!”
Yu Ci took back her previous thought. It was wonderful that she was like her dad, a quiet charmer from a young age! Always giving her little surprises!
Little Yu Qingtang: “…”
A moment later, Yu Ci still hadn’t let go. Little Yu Qingtang had no choice but to turn to Wei Tingyu for help, saying pitifully, “Dad.”
Wei Tingyu came forward, pulled Yu Ci’s arms away, and rescued his daughter. As he gently wiped the lipstick from her face with a wet wipe, he said softly to Yu Ci, “She’s still little. You can tease her like that when she’s older.”
Little Yu Qingtang: “…”
Yu Ci poked her daughter’s nose. “What if she’s not as fun when she’s older?”
Wei Tingyu said, “She won’t be. Tangtang is our daughter, after all.”
Yu Ci said, “You’re right.”
If Yu Qingtang were a few years older, she would have understood that this conversation between Wei Tingyu and Yu Ci was completely illogical. But for now, she just tilted her head and automatically latched onto the phrase “Tangtang is our daughter, after all,” and leaned imperceptibly closer to Wei Tingyu’s hand.
After wiping her face, Wei Tingyu looked at her headband, took it off, and combed her hair with a small comb from the car.
“Dad, I want a ponytail,” little Yu Qingtang said, tilting her face up.
“It looks nice like this.” Wei Tingyu put the headband back on her. Seeing his daughter pout slightly in displeasure, Wei Tingyu amended, “Dad will braid it for you when we get home.”
He straightened Yu Qingtang’s shoulders, unable to resist looking at her again and again.
The little girl’s long hair cascaded over her shoulders, revealing a smooth, full forehead. Having perfectly inherited her mother’s beauty, her features looked even more exquisite and flawless.
“Oh my, whose child is this? How can she be so beautiful?” Yu Ci’s voice cut in.
Little Yu Qingtang immediately lowered her head shyly.
Yu Ci took her and kissed her hands and face, then wrapped her arms around her, letting her sit on her lap for the entire ride home.
Wei Tingyu had already prepped the ingredients before coming, so he went to the kitchen to cook. Whenever he had time, he would cook himself.
Yu Ci watched cartoons and played with building blocks with her daughter in the living room. Half an hour later, Wei Tingyu, wearing an apron, brought the dishes to the table. He smiled at the warm scene in the living room and called out, “Time to eat.”
Yu Ci’s health was poor, and it was only after several years of marriage and Yu Ci’s persistent coaxing that Wei Tingyu agreed to have a child. To help improve her health, Wei Tingyu taught himself to cook. Only when she was well-conditioned did they prepare to welcome a new life. Even so, Yu Ci had a brush with death. The doctor had issued a critical condition notice, and outside the operating room, Wei Tingyu’s right hand trembled so much as he held the pen that he couldn’t even write his own name. Fortunately, she was saved in the end.
Wei Tingyu had thanked the heavens more than once for not taking Yu Ci from him. Without Yu Ci, he had nothing.
At the dinner table, little Yu Qingtang used a spoon to scoop the food from her bowl into her mouth.
Her parents’ bowls were ordinary white ones with blue patterns, but hers was colorful and very eye-catching.
After dinner.
Little Yu Qingtang sat on Wei Tingyu’s lap reading a picture storybook. Yu Ci snuggled against her husband’s shoulder, reading along with her daughter. Yu Qingtang had a great aptitude for language and was more intelligent than other children her age. Although she didn’t recognize all the words, she no longer needed her parents to read picture books like this to her; she could even tell them the gist of the story.
“Once upon a time, there was a king, and the king had a beautiful daughter…” Little Yu Qingtang pointed at the pictures and said in her soft, childish voice, “The princess had long golden hair, blue eyes, and red lips, even redder than Mom’s lipstick…”
After the story, Wei Tingyu and Yu Ci each kissed one of her cheeks. Yu Ci asked, “Sweetheart, did you play any games at kindergarten today?”
Little Yu Qingtang shook her head.
“Did you make any new friends?”
Little Yu Qingtang hesitated for a moment before saying, “I met new classmates.” The implication was that she hadn’t made any friends.
“Is it because the other children aren’t pretty enough?”
Hearing her mother’s question, little Yu Qingtang’s mind immediately conjured an image of little Cheng Zhanxi’s face. She shook her head. “No.” She lowered her head, her voice dropping as well. “I don’t like it.”
“You don’t like playing with others?”
“…Mhm.”
Yu Ci and her husband exchanged a glance, seeing the worry in each other’s eyes.
People’s personalities naturally differed; you couldn’t expect every child to be as naturally extroverted as Cheng Zhanxi. But in the kindergarten environment, they couldn’t watch over her. They were mainly afraid that if Yu Qingtang was too withdrawn, she might be isolated or even bullied by the other children.
Yu Ci thought for a moment and said, “What about little sister Xixi? Do you like her?”
Little Yu Qingtang looked down at her own hand, which was still warm from where her little sister had held it during the day. She didn’t answer, because she didn’t know if she liked her or not. In any case, she was easier on the eyes than the others, perhaps because she was used to seeing her.
When little sister Xixi was born, Yu Ci had taken the then-less-than-one-year-old Yu Qingtang to visit. The two families were very close and visited often.
Yu Ci said, “You should play with your little sister more often.”
Yu Ci knew the Cheng family’s younger daughter well. Her personality was impeccable—good-tempered, loyal, and full of integrity. With her around, Yu Qingtang would definitely not be bullied.
Little Yu Qingtang pressed her lips together and reluctantly nodded.
Then, Yu Ci called Song Qingrou.
The Cheng residence.
The living room was filled with laughter and cheerful voices.
Cheng Yi, Song Qingrou, the newly six-year-old Cheng Yuanxi, the still-very-young family cook Xiao Yun, and the other housekeepers all gathered around, watching with beaming smiles as little Cheng Zhanxi performed in the center of the living room, gesturing animatedly. She was recounting who she’d met at kindergarten that day, the fun things they did, and how all the classmates had laughed, ha ha ha.
She wasn’t even three yet. Her voice was milky and cute, and her words weren’t entirely coherent, but she kept talking and talking, her cheeks flushed, making all the adults present roar with laughter.
Song Qingrou nudged her husband’s arm and whispered in his ear, “Who on earth does our daughter get her personality from?”
Neither she nor Cheng Yi was a chatterbox, and Cheng Yuanxi was already so composed at such a young age. Only this little daughter of theirs was like a little comedian all day long. Was she going to become a crosstalk comedian in the future?
Cheng Yi said, “Maybe she’ll become more reserved when she’s older.” But he said it with no confidence at all. As the saying goes, you can see a person’s future at age three, and Cheng Zhanxi was about to turn three.
Little Cheng Zhanxi tired herself out from talking and plopped down on the floor right where she stood, sending everyone into another fit of laughter.
One of the housekeepers brought her a glass of juice.
Little Cheng Zhanxi blinked her big eyes, which were like black grapes, and said in her clear, milky voice, “Thank you, Auntie Liu.”
Auntie Liu clutched her chest and retreated.
Song Qingrou felt her heart melt from several steps away. Even if she became a crosstalk comedian, she’d be the prettiest and cutest of them all. That’s my daughter!
Song Qingrou lifted her daughter onto the sofa and sat her on her lap, not forgetting to ask, “Did you play with your big sister today?”
Cheng Zhanxi only had an older brother. She had female cousins, but the only one she could directly call “big sister” was Yu Qingtang, the daughter of her mother’s best friend, Yu Ci.
Little Cheng Zhanxi took the straw out of her mouth, her expression turning a little crestfallen. “No, big sister didn’t play with me.”
How could that be? Song Qingrou wondered in surprise.
Song Qingrou thought for a moment and asked, “Did she play with anyone else?”
Little Cheng Zhanxi shook her head. “No, she doesn’t talk to anyone.”
“Did she talk to you?”
“She did. We even swapped picture books to read.” Little Cheng Zhanxi put the straw back in her mouth and focused on watching the juice level drop.
Song Qingrou waited for her to finish, and after she let out a little burp, she took the empty glass from her, handed it to her husband, and gently rubbed Cheng Zhanxi’s little tummy. “Big sister doesn’t have any friends, so you have to be her friend, understand? Don’t just run off and play by yourself.”
Little Cheng Zhanxi nodded obediently. “I didn’t play at all today. I just sat with big sister and read. But if she still won’t play with me, I might not be able to stop myself from finding someone else.” She looked troubled.
Song Qingrou said, “I’ll give your Auntie Yu a call in a bit.”
Speak of the devil, the phone rang, and it was her.
Cheng Yi reached out to hold his daughter, but Cheng Yuanxi beat him to it. The little boy, dressed like a gentleman, picked his sister up, set her on the floor, and took her hand. “Brother will take you to play.”
With her brother there, little Cheng Zhanxi forgot all about her parents and happily ran off with him.
Cheng Yi: “…”
After hearing what Yu Ci had to say, Song Qingrou laughed. “What a coincidence, I was just about to talk to you about this. Tangtang has an introverted personality, and I was worried she’d get bullied at kindergarten, so I specifically told Xixi to play with her more.”
Yu Ci was touched. “Thank you so much, Qingrou.”
Song Qingrou said, “What’s our relationship? If you’re so polite, I’ll get angry. Besides, my son is going to marry into your family in the future, hahaha.”
Yu Ci also laughed. “Hahahaha.”
As their two husbands listened to their conversation drift from their daughters’ kindergarten to weekend spa trips and new seasonal products, chatting for at least half an hour, their expressions grew more and more resentful.
The next day.
The two little ones met again at the kindergarten gate.
Little Cheng Zhanxi spontaneously went over and took her big sister’s hand.
“Goodbye, Mom and Dad.”
“Goodbye, Xixi, Tangtang.”
Little Cheng Zhanxi entered the kindergarten gate with her big sister and asked in a soft, sweet voice, “Are you hot, big sister?”
She was remembering how Yu Qingtang had let go of her hand yesterday, saying she was hot.
“…” Little Yu Qingtang said, “It’s okay.”
Little Cheng Zhanxi said, “Then you can’t let go of me, okay? I was a little sad yesterday.”
Yu Qingtang glanced at her, a hint of surprise in her expression.
So she had made her sad?
Little Yu Qingtang was silent for a moment, then looked down at the ground. “Next time, I’ll tell you beforehand.” She turned to look at Cheng Zhanxi’s face and said seriously, “I’m sorry.”
Little Cheng Zhanxi was startled.
Why was her big sister suddenly so serious? And she said so many words. Was she angry with her?
“I-I-I…”
Yu Qingtang: “?”
Why did her little sister look like she was about to cry?
Just in the nick of time, a teacher came out and broke the stalemate, saying gently, “Good friends shouldn’t fight, okay? If something’s wrong, you can tell the teacher.”
Little Yu Qingtang said with a placid expression, “It’s nothing.”
Little Cheng Zhanxi sniffled, “I’m fine too. My sister and I were just playing.”
Teacher: “?”
Little Cheng Zhanxi and her sister went to their classroom. Yu Qingtang broke the chocolate bar from her schoolbag in half and gave a piece to her. Little Cheng Zhanxi looked at her curiously and confirmed, “You’re not mad at me, are you?”
Little Yu Qingtang: “?” She said, “Why would I be mad at you?”
Little Cheng Zhanxi wanted to explain, but with her current language skills, she couldn’t make it clear. She puffed out her cheeks in frustration and said, “Never mind.” If she couldn’t explain it, she wouldn’t. Cheng Zhanxi’s train of thought immediately shifted, and she asked, “Will you play with me today?”
Little Yu Qingtang remembered her mother’s instructions and nodded.
Little Cheng Zhanxi clapped her hands. “That’s great!”
She forgot the chocolate was still in her hand, and it fell to the floor as she clapped. Little Cheng Zhanxi’s heart skipped a beat. She thought, It’s over, big sister is definitely going to be mad at me now.
They had grown up together, and though Yu Qingtang was cool and quiet, she had never once gotten angry or even raised her voice. And yet, for some inexplicable reason, Cheng Zhanxi was a little afraid of her. To be precise, it wasn’t fear, but something more complex—a fear of making her angry, a fear of making her cry.
Trembling with apprehension, little Cheng Zhanxi didn’t dare look at her sister. She bent down to pick up the dirtied chocolate, but a small hand was faster than hers, picking up the chocolate from the floor with a tissue, wrapping it up, and throwing it in the trash can.
Little Cheng Zhanxi stared at her.
Yu Qingtang gave her the remaining half of the chocolate, wrapper and all. Her tone and gaze were as placid as ever. “Eat this.”
Little Cheng Zhanxi glanced at the trash can. Yu Qingtang thought she was still thinking about that piece, and her delicate eyebrows furrowed as she explained, “You can’t eat it if it’s dirty.”
Little Cheng Zhanxi took a bite of chocolate, her eyes curving into a smile.
Big sister wasn’t mad at her, and she even gave her chocolate. Mm, she had to tell Mom about this when she got home tonight.
Little Cheng Zhanxi’s smile was radiant, her eyes curved like crescent moons. Little Yu Qingtang stared at her, momentarily stunned for no reason, before lowering her head and opening the picture book on her desk.
A quintessential childhood game—playing house.
Little Cheng Zhanxi returned from her socializing and stood in front of Yu Qingtang’s desk. She propped her hands on the desk, rested her chin on the back of them, and tilted her head to look up at her without a word, as if waiting for Yu Qingtang to notice her.
Little Yu Qingtang stopped writing and looked up.
Little Cheng Zhanxi immediately broke into a smile. “Want to play a game, big sister?”
Yu Qingtang looked at her rosy-white face and suddenly had an inexplicable urge to pinch it, but she restrained herself, put down her pen, and stood up.
Cheng Zhanxi led Yu Qingtang to a group of children. A circle had formed on the floor, with little pieces of furniture, dolls, and other toys arranged inside.
“Let’s play house.” Cheng Zhanxi introduced the roles one by one. “Haohao is the ‘dad,’ Die-die is the auntie who buys groceries… and I’m the guest who’s visiting.”
Yu Qingtang asked, “Then what’s my role?”
Cheng Zhanxi said, “You’re the mom!” The role of “mom” was the one dearest to the children’s hearts, and Cheng Zhanxi had argued against everyone to save it for Yu Qingtang. Thanks to Yu Qingtang’s beauty, everyone agreed she looked like a mom.
Yu Qingtang glanced at Haohao, the boy playing the “dad,” but then she frowned and said, “I’m not playing the mom.”
“Huh?” Little Cheng Zhanxi was in a bind. Why not? What should she do now?
Yu Qingtang said, “You be the mom.”
Little Cheng Zhanxi thought, Oh, right! Doesn’t that solve the problem?
She said happily, “Okay, then we’ll switch. You be the visiting guest.”
Once the roles were set, the play began.
Little Cheng Zhanxi stood next to Haohao, but Yu Qingtang frowned again. “Wait.”
Cheng Zhanxi and the others: “?”
Yu Qingtang walked over, led Cheng Zhanxi away from Haohao’s side to stand next to her, and said with a placid expression, “I want to be the dad.”
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